Biography

You can watch an AQS video of Frieda talk about her award winning quilt Unfurling, or print a very nice article about Frieda from Schmetz needles.

Artist Statement – I made my first quilt when I was in high school. I have always made things, and I love the process of creating. In college I majored in Art History and minored in ceramics, but I returned to fiber because it was more satisfying. I can’t remember when I didn’t sew. For years my focus was designing and making clothing. All that changed in 1992, however, when I was in fashion design and realized that all I wanted to do was make quilts. I have been designing and making original art quilts ever since.

I find each step of quilt making, from the beginning to the end, a real challenge. It is hard to say what part I like best. I love the pure creativity involved in conceiving and designing a new quilt. I love to piece and I love to fuse. I have found that by fusing smaller pieces, I can work out design issues. Then I like to make a bigger, bolder statement and piece the same quilt in a large format. Most of my work is machine quilted and nature inspired.

I discovered hand dyeing fabric 30 years ago, and I now work almost exclusively with my own hand dyed cottons and silks. I love the dye process, and I particularly enjoy seeing the colors emerge from the wet fabric.

Frieda is a BERNINA Ambassador working on the BERNINA 770Q domestic home sewing machine.